BMW: Touchpad iDrive. If you've driven (or own) a new , you may be familiar with the MMI

Touch feature; a touchpad interface to input alpha-numerics into the navigation system without needing to remove your eyes from

the road. True, may be a small step behind in the production race, but in terms of execution,

its system is slicker as it comes cleverly integrated on top of the iDrive knob. This

makes BMW's transition to this technology basically seamless, with the added benefit of

no extra clutter on the center console.

• BMW: My BMW Remote. Ever wanted to preset the interior temperature of your car's cabin? Or maybe you've forgotten where you're parked, or if you've locked the doors? With My BMW Remote (available in new and for 2011), you can control all of these functions from the comfort of your iPhone. Just download the free app, confirm your BMW ConnectedDrive login, and you'll have the ability to lock/unlock, cool/heat, send directions to and locate your Bimmer via GPS or by its flashing lights and honking horn.

• BMW: Near Field Communication Key. Near Field Communication is a burgeoning wireless technology based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) that is currently used in contact-less "Fast Pay" credit cards, mass-transit tickets and even the key card needed to enter the R&T offices. BMW's vision is to have all this integrated in your key fob, and the Munich company has a working prototype for proof of concept. With BMW's NFC key, it's possible to imagine programming your car key with credit card information and then using the key for purchases. A record of its use could then be displayed through the car's infotainment system. This technology could allow you to bypass many a ticket-vending machine and even the hotel's front desk (for the ones that use contact-less key cards). Office access, movies, electronic IDs—the possibilities of an NFC-enabled key are far-reaching.

• BMW: Remote-Controlled Parking. There's nothing like a little 007-type technology to impress a friend or potential Bond-girl. BMW's Remote-Controlled Parking is exactly what it sounds like: the ability to exit and park your vehicle in even the tightest parking spots with nothing but your key fob. This is not a parallel parking aid, like has. Rather, BMW's system is designed more for a tight single-car garage, and it allows the driver to get out of the vehicle before it parks itself inside and shuts down. The system uses BMW's existing ultrasound sensors (the same six used for Park Distance Control) to guide it evenly within the given space, stopping when necessary to avoid running into objects, at a little over one mile an hour. The car rolls, steers, brakes and eventually shuts down once parked. A special key fob button sequence initiates the self-park mode, and then by holding down the Roundel button the action is executed; a release of the button will stop the car. Retrieval of your self-parking vehicle is as easy as initiating the same sequence, the car will know to reverse its actions. Now, if it could only feed the meter...

• BMW: Lateral Collision Avoidance. Like lane-departure warning and prevention systems today, BMW Lateral Collision Avoidance focuses on avoiding rubbing fenders with the car next to you. For this, BMW again uses its ultrasound proximity sensors to detect if a vehicle is getting too close. There's an audible warning first, then if the vehicle passes through the "safety bubble" threshold, the car will initiate a small steering movement to avoid contact. The sensation from the auto steer feels almost like magnetic repulsion between your car and a nearby vehicle. It's very effective in its action, but can also be overridden with little effort, which goes back to BMW's philosophy that the driver is still ultimately responsible for his machine—for now.

• BMW: Micropause Apps. I'm sure that most of us refuse to check our email/Twitter/Facebook while waiting at the checkout line/gas pump/stoplight, but for the small minority out there who indulge in such micro-tasking, BMW brings you the Micropause App. Working with Germany's traffic authorities in efforts to begin adapting smart traffic signals that would allow signal-to-car communication, among many other things, your car could soon know exactly how long you'll be stopped (or paused). Knowing this, your BMW could then launch an appropriate length Micropause App (i.e., a quick game of Pong, a dictated email, a YouTube video) for the given time frame. Say auf wiedersehen to idle time.

• BMW: Emergency Stop Assistant. In the worst-case scenario that a driver becomes completely impaired at the wheel (i.e., a heart attack, stroke, etc.), BMW's Emergency Stop Assistant has the capability to safely take the reins and even phone the paramedics. Using a host of redundant technologies including GPS, radar, camera and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) to create a highly accurate picture of the current road and surrounding vehicles, your BMW will maintain its lane of travel until it's clear to gradually make its way to the hard shoulder. Partnerships with Siemens and Berlin's Charité University Clinic are focused on developing technologies with which to monitor the driver's vitals in the car.